17 Venus In Furs 17

Nattsol: Greetings, Times! Please, introduce yourself in a few words.

Times: Transonic - Humoristic - Em - Interview with Times piric – Polytypic - Psoriatic. Nattsol: How did you come into mu - ID sic and literature and who inspired Name: Venus in Furs/Times you to start doing it yourself? Place: Worthing, West Sussex / Brighton, East Sussex, UK Time: 1982 - Present Times: Well - as a boy, I always en - Close to: Post-Punk, Minimal, Psychological Rock, Avant-Garde Current Label: Other Voices Records joyed reading... used to “consume” Web: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Venus-In-Furs-Times/113494152066931 books, quite outside of any school [Delta compilation teaser] - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKJBPH7tOkY&feature=share reading duties - I remember getting through several books a week - most - ly sci-fi like Moorcock; CS Lewis; the wonder stories of HG Wells ..... many others - but I was also entirely fas - enus in Furs was out that he has been very V cinated by Music... at around 12 - one of the bands that ap - active as a musician for 15 years, it was all Bolan/Bowie/Roxy peared on the British post- all these years and never Music. Then I discovered JG Ballard’s punk/new wave scene in the gave up his ideas, being books, and the Music of Eno (this early 80’s and caught the silent only due to his pref - would be around 1975) & thence to - genre amateurs’ attention by erence for privacy rather ward Punk: which really, like so many their remarkable style and than the more usual intensity others of that generation, entirely took highly individual approach & of self-promotion in the mod - my world over for a few crashing sound. Since 1986 Venus in ern world. Fortunately, Times years... among the records that Furs has evolved into a solo agreed to answer knocked me out around then were project of the composer/mul - our questions “This Years’s Model”/Costello; “Low” ti-instrumentalist Times, and about his & “Heroes”/Bowie; “Rattus Norwegi - 1990 was the year when the activi - cus” & “Black & White”/Stranglers ; last VIF vinyl saw the ties. “Idiot”/; and “Real Life” and light of day. Now in the 2010’s “Secondhand Daylight” / Magazine... Venus in Furs is the band high - ly estimated by record collec - I seem to recall listening to that and tors all over the world, and thinking «this is almost perfect, liter - recently news appeared on the ate Pop music». However, I was also web that Russian label Other listening to other, more “unfashion - Voices is working on the 2CD able” stuff too: Neil Young, Dylan, best of compilation. For more Cockney Rebel - and a band called details we contacted Times Sailor, whose early I still listen directly, and how surprised to and admire... much T.Rex... some we were when we found good English Folk music: June Tabor, 18 Venus In Furs Venus In Furs 18

Bert Jansch, Al Stewart... also a good these, “Dick Damage & The Dillem - months until it crashed - anyway, we roughly in tune! I can remember being deal of “Dub” reggae... Ramones had ma” - (!) had just broke up (Dick got talking and they were saying they quite apprehensive about the whole a big effect on me (“Leave Damage was kind of a local “legend” wanted to form a new Band and need - thing, but interested enough to give Home”/”Rocket to Russia”)...that 1st - he had many bands with variants ed a Singer, someone who could also it a shot - just to experience what it Suicide album… really just a whole of his name - they were, mostly, pretty handle writing Lyrics... so I somewhat was to be “in a Band”. I think at that quagmire of “influence” - I suppose awful but colourful to watch after a shyly suggested that maybe I could initial stage we were just looking to we call it this, as it all goes into a few drinks!) and I got talking to these try it. I’m really not entirely sure why... have a little fun, and we’d give it six melting pot. Along with these, the two guys who were just sitting around at that time all I knew was selling months or so, then move on to “nor - usual growing - up “Radio” things: mal” careers - I could easily have Beatles , Beach Boys, Motown Soul, wound up as an English teacher … a lot of Glam Rock... many re-re - . (which I actually did, much later on leases of 1950’s stuff like Dion, Buddy in this story!). So, they agreed, and Holly, a lot of “Doo-Wop”... and Old - for some time, around three/four field’s “Tubular Bells” - which was months, we rehearsed without a important at the time: I know it hasn’t drummer, using a «Rhythm Box» (a aged too well, but can you imagine truly crazy machine: it could offer just someone like Mozart or Beethoven three basic beats , which were subject hearing that? So - my early influences to sudden changes in tempo: kept were pretty much like anyone else’s us on our toes!) - and after one or of that time - I do know that from two jams I decided to get a guitar around 16 I had a yen to learn a and try and learn some basic chords musical instrument & try to write just so I could put some music to songs... but at that time, I really didn’t my poems/lyrics: I do recall doing know any Musicians who could teach hours and hours of practising with or show me how. It took five or six the guitar - got a chord book and years more until that happened..... just kept at it every day for months, even went out busking, much to the Nattsol: How did you meet your Ve - consternation of the locals... but I nus in Furs bandmates and how did guess all this paid off because then you form the band? I came up with the first Songs which we rehearsed, and, after getting a Times: I was working in an Inde - Drummer who answered an ad we pendent record shop in Brighton, put in the local paper (this was Mark Sussex - “Attrix”. This would be the shop doing nothing and looking records and running a fanzine (called Leach) we began doing some local around 1980- ‘81. Brighton has a miserable - because their band had “Voltage”: one Issue!) - I’d never shows - just pubs and bars mainly, thriving & busy band scene, and many just ended. Their names were played an instrument and had never with a few college gigs along the of these local musicians would come Jonathon Goodliffe and David Fisher sung in any way before… but I did way. This band was Called JOE into the shop each day, just to hang - Jon was a guitarist & David played write a whole slew of Poetry around DASH - and the members all decided out, drink tea & talk music etc. So I Bass – I don’t think they had been then - kinda dire efforts, but there on new names (!): Jon became Jon got talking to these local musos, and playing their instruments for too long, were a few worthy efforts - so I figured Goode, David became Dave Godot I was also going to many gigs in the and that variant of a Damage line- I could maybe adapt some of these (he was reading Beckett at the time), evenings to see them. So one of up had only been operating for a few to some music and try and shout Mark became Dan Leechasko, and 19 Venus In Furs Venus In Furs 19

I adopted the somewhat pale sobri - bel we began for the re - got regenerated again around 2004 quet; Times - if I recall, I chose this lease of “EXTENDED - 2008 when James Capelin (VIF as it was the name of my regular PLAY” (the 7” Vinyl EP) Artwork, Digital Editing & all-round daily Newspaper (in UK, it’s known in 1983/84 - which con - good chap) and I entirely re-mas - as the “Top People’s Paper”, naturally tinued for “PLATONIC tered / re-designed the whole I thought this entirely suitable!) and LOVE»... then I signed VIF/Times Catalogue (some 14 Al - also, I guess, because it has a “neu - to BACKS of Norwich bums) onto Compact Disc: this was tral” feel to it...and, of course, is redo - and we did a one-off Al - for Mail Order on the Internet - but lent of time passing ... though I can bum with STRIP. MOVE - this project was always a limited assure you, I wasn’t reading Proust MENT is something that service: we were both very busy then! Around a year and a half of can be “resuscitated” with other things, and though it was gigging & writing with JD, we had anytime I wish, which is good to get these out again in an accrued a fairly strong following lo - useful when I want to put improved digital form, those CD’s are cally (the South Coast of Old Eng - out something new & ex - all long sold out - there are even a land) & had managed to record a perimental – or outtakes few I don’t have myself! few demos - but my attitude to song - whatever... The Label writing was changing as the band Nattsol: Nowadays the original collectively grew tighter musically, Movement releases are extremely and I took a decision to rare collectors’ items, and seems novel change the whole situa - reading a that some of them are even not e this after - tion: new songs & a new “I chose alled Sach known nowadays. So could you, e by a guy ca approach - hence VENUS that name erplay please, go through the Movement of t ed the inte IN FURS - which we be - och, I like d: er-Maso it inferred releases with few words about came around the middle of d senses of polarised e; “fur” each? Is there any opportunity to 1982. I chose this after read - o ess of love us” - godde ” get Movement stuff nowadays? ing a novel of that name by “venu , animal...” ing primal, a guy called Sacher-Masoch - somethi Times: There are only really less (it’s where the term than a handful of actual Movement “masochism” originates, VINYL releases : VIF “Extended then recruited a new Bassist: Paul wordwatchers!) , I liked the interplay Play” - pic cover 1983 (500 only) “Ludo” Martin - and with this line-up, of polarised senses it inferred: later reissued as a 12” Picture Disc we seemed to accelerate in popularity “venus” - goddess of love; “fur” - (1985); VIF “Platonic Love” - Al - , and our gig schedule grew extremely something primal, animal ... I didn’t bum, black label (white label is 2nd busy, through mid ‘82 up to December hear the Lou Reed song until a little Press), 1984; The Hunting Party - 1983 when this, formative band im - while later - then of course, we had 3-Track “Velvet Garden” EP 1985 ploded & split - having recorded the to learn that great song and play it (500). Unfortunately, these are all three tracks for “Extended Play” first. at the concert! I sometimes have quite scarce now, I’ve no idea of their individual worth - I ought to thought it’s been a slight burden - it Nattsol: As far as I know, you found - find out, right? MOVEMENT was seems to indicate a certain kind of ed Movement Records. Can you tell then put to sleep (with a teddy bear) material, whereas my work is alto - about this label’s destiny? gether more esoteric or varied in form until 2003 when it woke with a start … but VIF it was - and still is. VIF Times: Yes - MOVEMENT was a la - and began issuing shiny compact 20 Venus In Furs Venus In Furs 20

discs ... As an aside, I’d recommend getting the right blend of personalities getting a download of an Album called & musical ability is at best a chancy, “Paper Boats in Puddles” (not a fortunate thing... so really I thought Movement record) released from my time in a Band was now over, Brighton in 1987 - it’s a various and I was considering a teaching artists LP, lots of weird/good things course in English Language & Liter - on that … also has the “Little Leg - ature... but we had recorded “Ex - ends” (two tracks) which is me dis - tended Play” back in the summer of guised as a Voodoo-gothic-surf ‘83, and I knew this was about to be guitarcombo - many other fun released, so, meanwhile, I met a few things on that record, it’s an inter - local musicians in my hometown of esting portrait of mid-’80’s indie Worthing (West Sussex-By-The- music. Sea), and it was kind of refreshing just to meet up & jam - without the Nattsol: How did it happen that Ve - pressure of a structured band set- nus in Furs became a duo of you up etc... anyway, through one of these and Skot Lucy? people I was introduced to Skot, who had just returned from staying on a Times: After the original VIF split Kibbutz somewhere exotic ha ha… (around December 1983) I was mo - he had some time on his hands, we mentarily at a loss... the prospect of seemed to get on ok, and ended up recruiting musicians to reform the en - semble seemed too much of a task: e of the type not really r "I'm n lizes o r o socia guy wh cians - t of music ows a lot ard playing some night held in Brighton Polytechnic in kno te tow music togeth - late 1982. So I’d missed meeting him gravitat tend to s..." er one day... if back then... and to cap this, he used I t s, Painter ors, Poets I recall cor - to give me earache about the fact Autho rectly, the first that VIF beat his & the other Bands things we jammed were an early, raw and had won that competition! But I version of “Wild Kiss” & we also found quickly realised that Skot was a nat - “Achilles’ Brain” the same day. A fair urally gifted musician, with a keen, start, then! I was amused to hear intuitive musical ear (the two don’t Skot tell me that he had formerly always go together). A brilliant Key - been the keyboard player in a Wor - board player, talented Bassist, he thing-based “Synth” Band called even played some quite beautiful Fla - Amoebic Culture - this band had been menco guitar... just listen to his ex - involved with VIF (& a few others) quisite “Fallen Statues”. He also had as a part of a “Battle of The Bands” a Mixing Desk (rather old & a little 21 Venus In Furs Venus In Furs 21

battered, but still operable) & some Skot had gone, there was really no cially if you are the writer & producer outboard effects - which we employed Band left to record or play live! Well, too. That album, though very satis - immediately to record some demos I’m not really the type of guy who fying as a body of work, was a real together. I recall thinking that this socializes or knows a lot of musicians labour of love right through the sum - was really working very well: at that - I tend to gravitate toward Authors, mer of 1986, because of course, I time, I was primarily a Guitarist & Poets, Painters ... of which I had had to overdub each track myself - Singer/Writer, I could play some basic several friends, but this was of no though it helped having the great Lee - Piano & a little Bass too, but Skot practical use when I needed to do chasko back with me for some Drum was really proficient at these, and some recording - so it occurred to tracks. I continued with this painstak - was also a very good Recording En - me that I could play a little Bass ing overdub process with “MEGALO - gineer. We then discussed and Guitar (which I’d done MANIA” & others later, but the planned doing an Album of our music on “The Debutante” methods were always kinda tough to together: initially, we were going to from “STRIP”) and I get just right. Of course, the satisfying choose a new name for this - but was already moving aspect of all this, is that you can get any material for after some thought, I knew the VIF more into Keyboards everything you want done precisely “STRIP” - too busy “EP” was coming out soon, and our for compositional pur - the way you want it - which I quickly noodling! But I think he projected Album would also be ap - poses. So I decided to found essential to my needs as a plays extremely well on pearing around the same time (late try and do it myself, and writer - but a downside (if we can all it, it’s a favourite of Summer - November 1984) - so it I think it’s a fair job it that) is that you also lose the mine. seemed to me commonsensical to (“REAL MORAL FI - ideas/contributions of other musi - retain the name Venus in Furs for Nattsol: In 1986 Venus BRE”) - it’s not some - cians: Skot was invaluable that way. our Album too. Skot agreed, and we thing I’d recommend So if you compare the sound of, say then began seriously gathering the in Furs became a solo project of you. How did to most people, espe - “PLATONIC LOVE” with “MEGALO - monies and equipment needed to MANIA” or “SOFT record this Album - Skot’s father it happen? ortant LIFE” there is an in - loaned him some cash, some of which t it is impo choice - but stant, clearly defined went on a Fostex A-8 Eight-Track sician by c Studio Mus shift in timbre and feel - Reel-To-Reel Multitrack Recorder... "I'm not a e" " a long time and that’s ok with me... dif - the remainder put aside to finance hat takes ople, and th ferent periods mean different eventual pressing & print ing & right peo to get the sounds. mastering costs.We christened this studio (set up in my tiny bedsitting Times: When Skot left Nattsol: What can you tell room!!). “Movement One” - and then in/around May ‘85, we about your collaborations got down to the business of creating had just released with Marc Arscott? what was to be “PLATONIC LOVE” “STRIP” - which did throughout the hot summer of 1984. fairly well, and were Times: Marc is a sweet guy This did pretty brisk business when now getting a lot of Airplay in Europe. who was Manager of VIF from released, so the following year we We had also been offered a Three- 1982 - 1990 - this aside, we continued the alliance with “STRIP” Album deal, and I duly began prepar - have not in any real sense - during which, Skot had met a cute ing some new songs for the first of of the term «collaborated»... blonde & they had plans to live these. The record company were He’s a big Bolan / T.Rex fan, abroad… so that’s why he didn’t write rather put out by the fact that now and has had some success 22 Venus In Furs Venus In Furs 22

putting out Bolan-related material so busy with Recording, that it was like forming The Brothers Christ or night... (an eerie Theremin strikes over the years - in ‘87, whilst I was difficult to find the time to form a new being a guest musician in The Hunting up and bats are heard wheeling working on “Megalomania” he asked Live band - I actually love to play Party. Can you tell more about these overhead...!) he was into some in - me if I’d contribute to a 12” EP of live, I’m not a Studio Musician (like, and (if there were) other projects? teresting drugs - we dropped a little Bolan cover songs he was doing... say, Eno) by choice - but it is important Acid: with considerable care) and Times: «The Brothers Christ» (!) - so Mark Waterman (VIF Producer) to get the right people, and that he was into his own homemade this was something that came about & I took a dive at “The Slider”, takes a long time. And, as I’ve men - Wine (rather good ), so we got into kinda “iggy”‘d it up a few notches, a weekly habit of just chatting & lis - and it came out pretty good - a tening to his gigantic Album collec - raunchy track! tion - Colin was a big “Prog-Rock” freak, he loved things like Tangerine Nattsol: I found no information about Dream; Yes; Hawkwind; , any Venus in Furs live shows, but Can; Camel; Focus... many others... as we may see in “The Hand That and it seemed kinda strange be - Squeezed The Heart” video, there cause I was listening at that time were some. Could you tell a bit more to Felt; New Order; Monochrome about the stage life of Venus in Furs? Set; Wire, Magazine, things like that - more “Indy” type things - but Colin Times: I’ve never seen that Video said he really like “RMF” and asked - is it any good? VIF played around me how one “made an Album”... so 35 Live shows locally, during 1982 I just suggested that he & I try to & 1983... as a four-piece, many of do something and he agreed. The these were just small concert halls plan was that because Colin was a & bars, also several at Colleges - non-musician, then I’d take care of and a few bigger shows, of which all that side, and write / produce/ the Adam Ant gig was clearly the play the instruments etc , and he largest, audience-wise. One of my would write the lyrics & do all the few regrets about that VIF line-up is singing. So that’s principally what that after we had recorded “EXTEND - occurred. For me, it was very dif - ED PLAY” we never got any of those ferent, and a whole lotta fun, and I other early songs down in the studio think the Album (“ECHOES OF - but we did have a handful of gigs LOST SOULS”) reflects that. I had on tape, so when that band split, I to use a further pseudonym to do sat down with & closely examined it, as I was under contract elsewhere these. The best by far was a concert tioned, I don’t really know too many after I’d completed “RMF” in mid 1987 at the time, Colin personally fi - from early 1983 in Brighton - this - but it’s something I’ll definitely be (I think) ... I was hanging around with nanced the project, and, much to show I spent a lot of time working returning to next year, it would be an old friend from my schooldays, a his surprise, it entirely sold out quite on the tapes, minimizing hiss & re- good to get out and play these really nice loon called Colin... now quickly!! If anyone has a Vinyl copy, equalizing etc... and that gig became songs on stage. Colin was something of an oddity: hang on to it - could be worth a bit the VIF “Live” Album, “CURTAIN” - by day he held down an eminently in the future! “The Hunting Party” and it still sounds pretty sharp to me Nattsol: While being (in) Venus in respectable position as a BT (“British was a band from my hometown of now! Obviously, later on I became Furs, you took part in other projects, telecom”) Telephone Engineer, but by Worthing, whom I got to know 23 Venus In Furs Venus In Furs 23

around ‘85 - I like the songwriting the same album is obviously more ferocious massed Brass/String sec - album) and felt that I should be stick - of Mark Yelland, and I tried to help ambitious - I was listening to a lot tion to close - I wrote this at the ing to the ‘acceptable’ stuff... well, & encourage them - their EP came of Symphonic music by the Soviet piano, and then we hired a when you write, you tend to write out on Movement, and I sat in on composers Shostakovitch, Rach - Digital sampling keyboard whatever you write... I’m the first for that session. Good maninoff and ing which I could then use in person to be surprised at what f read songs - I wish they had stayed to - tice o s the Studio to achieve as emerges....! But I like to think that pract I guess gether, but they broke up ed the - but I listeners have enough intelligence viewe eryone pec - soon after that. lways for eve y pros and flexibility to explore right there I''ve a rtant f for an y impo tivity ise alongside me - after all, it is all the highl y key ac otherw Nattsol: As far as I know, as bly a k al or o work of the same composer ... I’m proba musica you also worked under it is be it m kind of fond of some of these ‘solo’ riter, b your name. What can you tive w things - the “PARIS” Soundtrack I tell about this project and really enjoyed doing (though the its difference with Venus Movie never materialized - and I in Furs? could have done with the money!); the Piano Music(“SCANT Times: The difference between my POLYPHONY” 1999) is a playful, work as VIF and projects issued un - modern confection ... “VENUS - der my own name (as Times) is really BURG” (2003): is my take on Ger - quite straightforward - if I come up man ‘krautrock’ - I admire the music with a musical idea or element which of Cluster, Neu!, Kraftwerk et al... I think could support or “frame” some - that one has perhaps one of the thing I want to explain or describe, very few songs written about a these are then developed into ‘ songs Sound Producer/Engineer - an ‘ ie: with lyrics & close attention paid amazing guy called Konrad (“Con - to the use of rhythm, basic harmony ny”) Plank, who recorded with Eno, and a ‘direct ‘/dynamic substructure. Harmonia, many great German So, ‘songs ‘ I would set aside for on - bands through the ‘70’s and ‘80’s going VIF work. Clearly, we’re all con - - I had a lot of fun with the lyrics tinually exposed (or, in our present for that, it’s full of Studio refer - time, almost assaulted ....!) to a be - ences, i.e.: baffles; crossfades; wildering array of many, wildly differ - noise reduction etc... it’s a respect - ing musical styles and genres - since ful nod to this talented man, not “RMF” in 1986 I became very inter - always too evident behind the ested in Classical Music, piano solo scenes of some fine recordings... and String Quartets in particular. You Prokofiev - so there is a mild hint of genuine a feel as possible for, say, we salute you, “Herr Plank”! So can perhaps see this development ‘Montagues & Capulets’ in the open - Bass Clarinet or multiple Cellos, that’s the generic difference: main - with the ‘parissienne’ Waltz on ing section, but I also wanted some whatever was required. As I recall, ly “songs” - VIF; mainly “instrumen - “MEGALOMANIA”, an attempt to tenderness and a hint of Blues... so these things didn’t always go down tal” – Times. Phew! meld the witty lilt of Erik Satie to the there’s a kind of Keith Jarret middle so well with the record company! romanticism of a Ravel-like small piano part too - I like the idea of a They were really pleased that “RMF” Nattsol: There’s no information on string ensemble. “Perestroika” from kind of “welding” of styles - and the did so well (essentially a “rock”/song the web about your post - “The Speed 24 Venus In Furs Venus In Furs 24

Of A Pun” activity. So can I ask you to a helpful balm at that time. So - not er things), tends to get put into the “Top 60” Books – so, I’ll attach it improve this situation in our interview? the best of periods for VIF... but it “mix” of writing and re-writing... I have alongside. Just a final word about a did produce some striking work, a passion for “noir” detective fiction, particular book that affected me quite Times: Ok... around 1991 (after which, I guess, is something, right? Raymond Chandler is a favourite, a lot: the philosophy of Schopenhauer “PUN”) a few things occurred - I felt Following this, I felt “back in the also Dashiell Hammett... in contrast, - he’s actually very funny, and kind of drained after constant writing groove” and continued with “SOFT I’ve read a whole slew of books by provocative too: a stimulating mix - & recording for the past seven years, LIFE” , and myriad other projects. CG Jung... Dostoevsky... most of PG ture! It’s entirely possible that some needed a break - so I took a Teacher Phew. Next question. Wodehouse (!)... Christie... just tons aspects of his thinking have crept up training course and was involved with of stuff, really - I’ve always viewed and stolen their way into some of that for a while, also did my songs - VIF explorers... some private Piano tuition be vigilant! from home... and I got mar - ried in 1992, my son Charles Nattsol: In that interview you was born almost immediate - also told that you explore “the ly... the marriage didn’t work power of sex” with your Art. out, then I got somewhat What does it mean for you, “locked in” to Legal affairs, and what are the things you following divorce (a tough discover in it? enough experience for any - one) trying to see Charles Times: Good question! I ... this went on for some guess society has become years, very heavy... all of “polysexual” - in that there which kept me away from seem to be so many different music from around 1991 - trends - for me, in the early 1996 - although having said VIF days, I was interested in that, I did occasionally come some mild Fetish - in an en - up with some songs in that tirely observational sense, period, when the itch came you understand! There are along! Then in the summer varying dimensions in terms of 1996, mostly through of songwriting - “Sweetheart angst/confusion at the crazy Libido” is a simple, humoristic legal process, I just found overview of the male eros- songs pouring out ... I guess drive... I guess you could say this was a kind of emotional Nattsol: “A lot of my work is reworked the practice of reading as highly im - “Memento Mori” is a fetishistic nar - “purging” - and I wrote & recorded literature”, - you said in 1986 inter - portant for everyone - but I guess it rative per se - the prosaic truth is, “WOMBERANG”, which I suppose view. Which authors (or which books) is probably a key activity for any that song came to me from a dream... could be considered a “concept” col - you could call as a “guide” to Venus prospective writer, be it musical or and is also, in a small way, based lection - just trying to deal with a lot in Furs universe? And why do these otherwise. There are too many to re - on something that happened to me of pain, and missing seeing my kid... works have such an influence on you? fer to here, but I’ll add a list if you as a boy - but the entire thing was I do hope anyone in a similar situation like - I was asked about this a few always intended as a musical “The - could relate to the songs on that al - Times: Well, literature, along with years back by a VIF listener, a keen atre” piece: which is why it is so bum: for my part, just the writing was certain eras of cinema (amongst oth - reader too - so I sent her a kind of structured: an introduction / episode 25 Venus In Furs Venus In Furs 25

one / interlude / episode two / inter - afoot to develop this into a stage lude / finale & curtain (or a light switch "Top 60" Books show, but it’s kind of early to con - being thrown). But these things are sider that just now. motifs, really, ancient “archetypes” or 35 Fearless Jones - Walter Mosley strong symbols of individuals - “Pari - 1 The Fatal Shore - Robert Hughes 36 The Love Secrets of Don Juan - Nattsol: Happy to hear about the ah” in that song (the ah, demonic 2 The Long Goodbye - Raymond Chandler Tim Lott new VIF album. How could you de - hooker) could be a generic repre - 3 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Marquez 37 The Magus - John Fowles scribe what you think it will be? sentation of male anxiety faced with 4 Roads To Freedom - Jean-Paul Sartre 38 Playback - Raymond Chandler (And how it will sound like?) And feminine guile/spiritual strength.... 5 Baudelaire - Dr.Enid Starkie 39 Psmith Journalist - PG Wode - do you consider it as a “comeback” Elsewhere, I suppose “Squeeze the 6 Story Of The Eye - Georges Bataille house album or as natural evolution of your Heart” and “All Night Party” fall into 7 Hunger - Knut Hamsun 40 The Way Of The World - William musical activity? this sex-category - really, I would say 8 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov Congreve it’s the dynamism of storytelling 9 Against Nature - JK Huysmanns 41 The Glittering Prizes - Frederic Times: It’s looking like a very mixed blended with some sleek imagery 10 Being Dead - Jim Crace Raphael bag at this stage - some new titles: which appeals to me – any other re - 11 The Third Policeman - Flann O'Brien 42 The Bell-Jar - Sylvia Plath “Lucy Zoom” ( glamour/speed); sponse would require some involved 12 Crime & Punishment - Dostoevsky 43 Devil In A Blue Dress - Walter “Tzaratype” (Dada-funk); “Favours of Psychological probing (!), as it’s 13 The Writings Of Erik Satie-Nigel Mosley The Moon” (serene, melancholic); sometimes a mystery to me too - Watkins ed. 44 The Lady In The Lake - Raymond “The Double” (epic “ballade” ); “Ghost where/why some ideas are formed. 14 Schopenhauer - Essays & Aphorisms Chandler Star” (echoplex guitars/’50’s- ish); still Anyway, I guess Madonna has just 15 The Big Sleep - Raymond Chandler 45 Moravagine - Blaise Cendrars working on these… there’s also some about made a career out of sex, so 16 Perfume - Patrick Susskind 46 Ballad Of The Sad Cafe - Carson chill-out Jazz… all kinda things, re - I’m in fair company! 17 Collected Poems - Leonard Cohen McCullers ally.”Comeback”? ha! Not really - 18 Unreliable Memoirs - Clive James 47 One Day In The Life of Ivan VIF is always ongoing ... it’s just that Nattsol: What can you tell about your 19 Venus in Furs - Leopold von Sacher- Denisovitch - Solzehnitzyn sometimes there’s a lengthy gap current activity? Masoch 48 Petit Poems en Prose - Charles where I’m either a/working on a dif - 20 History - Martin Amis Baudelaire ferent Project or b/ taking a break Times: Presently I’m deep in the 21 The Blunderer - Patricia Highsmith 49 Jean Cocteau - Frederick Brown from all this & travelling… also there throes of writing & demoing new 22 L ' assommoir - Emile Zola 50 100 Days Of Solitude - Marquez are some periods of time when I just songs for a new VIF Album - working 23 The Terminal Beach - JG Ballard 51 Down Under - Bill Bryson don’t have much to say - I don’t think title: birthconfusiondeath.com - as 24 Platform - Houellebecq 52 Collected Short Stories - HG it’s such a good idea to just churn usual, it’s taking some time to form, 25 Lizzie - Evan Hunter Wells stuff out for the sake of it. So: I guess but I have around six or seven songs 26 The Little Sister - Raymond Chandler 53 Farewell, My Lovely - Raymond that would be “natural evolution”, in going on, this should be ready some 27 The Life & Death Of Peter Sellers - Chandler your words, Nattsol! time in 2012. I’ve also been working Roger Lewis 54 The Outsider - Albert Camus on a song collection based on a 28 Forbidden Colours - Yukio Mishima 55 Delta Of Venus - Anais Nin Nattsol: Thanks for this amazing in - musical show which is set in a Broth - 29 Mysteries - Knut Hamsun 56 Nightwood - Djuna Barnes terview, Times. And the final words el!! These are more “cabaret” type 30 Women - Charles Bukowski 57 A Kestrel For A Knave - Barry are yours. songs, lots of accordions, French 31 The Cairo Trilogy - Naguib Mahfouz Hines Times: Be happy, stay vigilant: for horns, dramatic pianos... and some 32 Notes From Underground - 58 Death & The Penguin - Andrey Love is real! arch singing, the vocals I’m hoping Dostoevsky Kurkov to get a few ladies to do, as these 33 Tortilla Flat - John Steinbeck 59 Redcap Runs Away - Rhoda Power Pall “Nattsol” Zarutskiy tawdry tales are told from the girls’ 34 Crash - JG Ballard 60 Tropic Of Cancer - Henry Miller “Grave Jibes Fanzine” point-of-view. There are some plans